hapa bento

It’s a melancholy moment when I pack an in-flight bento.  But happy memories overshadow the sad good-byes especially when I include foods that are reminiscent of the fun-filled visit!

Salmon is de-riqueur for a Seattle-style lunch and Rainier cherries from our trip to the farmers market evoke happy flashbacks of a enjoyable vacation!

That alone should conjure desires for return trip…and to seal-the-deal…I added baked chicken, sautéed asparagus, steamed carrots, tomato, white rice and a luscious chunk o’ purple sweet potato!

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The use of fresh lettuce for baran, the barrier between food items, is becoming cost prohibitive.   With the recent rash of bad weather, fresh fruits and vegetables are now almost double in price!  What’s a bentoist to do?  Read the rest of this entry →

We had got an ominous warning a few days ago from the weather man.  Winter storm WARNING!   I took that as a free pass to stock up on as many ready-to-eat foods as I could possibly fit in my fridge.

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Hi bento lovers!  Today’s featured bento is a no-cook lunch.   Because all the foods are “ready-to-eat”  from my neighborhood deli. 

Sometimes, especiallly on  the most hectic of days, I totally opt out of cooking. 

On this occasion I picked up  roasted chicken, ravioli salad, corn pudding, and roasted veggies.  

I added the  ”heart” as my own personal touch.  Maybe because I have teeny-tiny pangs of guilt?

Nah!

Gotta run.  I’ll be back to posting some delicious bento-friendly recipes soon.

PS. If you’re in the Seattle area, and shop at PCC Natural Markets… you must try their ravioli salad.  So good.

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I received an email asking if a “real” bento box is required to qualify as an official bento lunch?

The simple answer…no!

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I love veggies.

I wish, I wish, that I had loved them when I was a kid. All those wasted meals, staring at a plate of glorious carrots, string beans, or bell peppers. Wishing that we had a family dog that would “clear my plate.”

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More stainless steel you asked?  No problem.  Requesting  chicken?  Sure.

How about tomatoes? Got those too.

Rice?  Nah, this time it’s purple potatoes.

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You know what they say, ” don’t fix it if it’s not broken!”  And that’s exactly what’s going on in my kitchen of late.

Chicken and rice. 

Packed in stainless steel box.  Sound familiar?

A winning formula that doesn’t need improvement.

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Today’s bento has quite the variety of items including a radish-rabbit as I’m trying to get in as many bunnies until February 3rd. That’s the start of “The Year of the Rabbit” according to the Chinese calendar.

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This is the last bento of 2010!  Wow, can’t believe the year is over.  The line, “time flies when you’re having fun” never rang truer than with this blog.

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I feel out-of-it.  We are halfway through  December and I haven’t even attempted a winter themed bento until today!

It’s embarassing I tellya, especially with the holiday B.O.M.B. challenge  up and running! Read the rest of this entry →

I was admiring the bentos that were submitted to last month’s B.O.M.B. challenge and realized that I hadn’t packed any squash  for my own lunches in a while.

But it’s not because I haven’t tried…it is because we eat it all before the bento has a chance!

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